Reports out of Europe suggest that the Oilers could be interested in 27-year old goaltender Bernhard Starkbaum, who spent last season in the Swedish Elite League. Who is he, and would he be a good signing for the Oilers?

The Report

Starkbaum has an out-clause in his contract that allows him to pursue NHL opportunities

Agent Patrick Pilloni says there are NHL teams interested in Starkbaum for 2013-14

The Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers are two of the clubs interested

A Unique Résumé

There isn’t a goaltender in the NHL with Starkbaum’s CV. To begin with, he’s both Austrian-born and Austrian-trained – there are currently three Austrians in the NHL (Thomas Vanek, Michael Grabner and Andreas Nodl) and all of them came over to play hockey in North America before they were drafted. Among goaltenders, in league history only one Austrian – Reinhard Divis, who was briefly lit up in St. Louis around the time of the second Bettman lockout – has ever played NHL hockey.

Like Divis, Starkbaum came up through the Austrian system and then made the jump to Sweden, where he caught the attention of NHL teams. Unlike Divis, however, Starkbaum was immediately an exceptional starter in the Elitserien.

Starkbaum worked his way up the Austrian system and emerged as a quality backup option for Villacher SV in the top Austrian league around the age of 22. At 24, he took over the starting role in that league, recording a 0.923 save percentage in his debut season as starter and a 0.936 save percentage over 48 games at the age of 26. That latter performance earned him a contract with Sweden’s famous MODO, and he was exceptional there, too, posting a 0.933 save percentage (good for third in that league). He had a rough few games in the playoffs, however, and found himself replaced by Sabres draft pick Linus Ullmark between the pipes.

Where He Might Fit

Starkbaum’s regular season performance in the Swedish Elite League is enough to suggest he may be ready for work as an NHL backup, but assuming he’s ready for the role would be a significant risk for the Oilers organization.

A safer play would be to bring Starkbaum in for the third-string role currently held by Yann Danis and see how he adjusts to playing in North America; sometimes good European goaltenders hit the ground running and sometimes they need time to adapt. If Starkbaum’s success in Sweden translates immediately, he’s the kind of player who could force his way on to the NHL roster in relatively short order.

UPDATE. The suggestion that Starkbaum should start in the minors fits with the view of player agent Gunnar Svensson, who saw quite a bit of Starkbaum this season:

@jonathanwillis If you ask me Jonathan - he´s not ready for the NHL. I saw him mostly of his games 12-13. He need minum 1 season in AHL.

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Recently around the Nation Network

As both the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers are likely looking for a similar player out of the draft (and because the two teams pick back-to-back), Kent Wilson's series on first-round targets is of interest for Oilers fans. From First Round Targets - Elias Lindholm:

Aside from Sean Monahan, Elitersen rookie Elias Lindholm is perhaps the Flames most likely choice at 6th overall this coming June. Like Monahan and Aleksandr Barkov, Lindholm is a center with a offensive capabilities and an advanced two-way game. So, like the two targets we have already profiled, Lindholm ticks a lot of the organization's boxes.

Click the link above to read the whole piece, or feel free check out some of my other pieces here:

Jonathan Willis is a freelance writer.
He currently works for Oilers Nation, Sportsnet, the Edmonton Journal and Bleacher Report.
He's co-written three books and worked for myriad websites, including Grantland, ESPN, The Score, and Hockey Prospectus. He was previously the founder and managing editor of Copper & Blue.

Florida will take Mackinnon if he doesn't go 1st overall. Too bad the oilers can't get their hands on Mackinnon he looks like a franchise player. Maybe if we get lucky Mac T can work some magic and trade up. Maybe Ganger and the 7th?

I'm so happy Whitney is gone what a clown. Don't let the door hit you on the way out after your comments about your teammates.

I'm sure he is, as well as Calgary would like that pick. Nashville would also like Barkov. Likely they would want a core player from the Oilers for that pick. They may want Oiler 7th pick 2013 and 1st round pick in 2014.
Not easy.

I would take that deal 2013-7th overal plus the 2014 1st pick.

Not sure Nashville would, there would have to be a roster player in there I would think.

I'm thinking Paajarvi or Gagner or Smid, but definitely a combination of players and picks would be needed.

I would do this, even at the cost of a very good player and the obvious weakening of an already weak team.

Barkov or MacKinnon would be a huge upgrade at center.

My personnel preference would be Barkov, I just see him having the most upside of all draft eligible players, becoming a dominate two way center.

The last two games of the season should have featured tyler bunz in net, with the top two lines sitting in case of injuries. I don't care what you think about losing mentality, the fact is if theplayers didn't get it from legitimate losses, they arent going to care about a nothing game. When vancouver benches half the team, why in gods name would you risk your stars when your out of the playoffs, and competing for a bottom 5 pick. It's absolute stupidity. Now we sit on the bubble just outside the top prospects. We should be talking barkov and mo ing up for mackinnon. Calculated losses for future success shows the players you care about winning than letting them play a meaningless scrimage. Why didn't we learn this lesson in 2008.

The last two games of the season should have featured tyler bunz in net, with the top two lines sitting in case of injuries. I don't care what you think about losing mentality, the fact is if theplayers didn't get it from legitimate losses, they arent going to care about a nothing game. When vancouver benches half the team, why in gods name would you risk your stars when your out of the playoffs, and competing for a bottom 5 pick. It's absolute stupidity. Now we sit on the bubble just outside the top prospects. We should be talking barkov and mo ing up for mackinnon. Calculated losses for future success shows the players you care about winning than letting them play a meaningless scrimage. Why didn't we learn this lesson in 2008.

Oilers and their players play to win - good on them ,as that's the way it should be . You really think that if we threw those games we would be better off ? The draft is deep , we'll do just fine . 2008 Chicago got lucky and bolted to Nbr.1 , that doesn't ,in retrospect , mean we would have been that lucky .

That would be sweet if TB took Nikuschkin. I really think we could make a play at Barkov then. No idea what it would take but if we havent already traded that pick for an established player then I think going hard after a potential top (with size no less!) centerman to pair with RNH is a must.